Rant 70 - 10/3/12 Subject: Profiting from charity

Rant number 70


This evening, I watched an episode of Let's Dance for Sport Relief. It can occasionally be amusing, so I thought I'd give it a go. As it turned out, I only recognised three contestants from all of the five acts - so all in all, not a great line-up.

That isn't what my complaint is however. No, what bothers me - a great deal, is the shameless profiteering that goes on with this sort of thing.

If you call in using your landline, it will cost you 50p to do so. This doesn't mean that 50p will go to charity though.

No, of your 50p: 36.5p goes to the charity.

So where does the rest go? I get that maybe the phone line providers might need paying, but surely not 13.5p? Maybe it goes to the BBC? (which we pay for anyway!) to cover the cost of spandex or something?

That's a big proportion of your money that will go into someone or others back pocket. Why should anyone profit from charity! Well, other than those it is directed towards of course! Otherwise it would be a bit pointless.

Things like this are rife. Whenever a phone number is involved, you can bet some skimming is going on. However many times have you been informed that donating will cost you X amount plus your network rate, could they not offer a discounted or free rate for charitable donations? Of course they could, but they aren't gunna!

You see, Charity is big money for big business. After all, you don't get to be big business without being a little unscrupulous.

Read the small print on everything you give. Don't be fooled by the easy option of dropping a text or picking up the phone - or the bastards will skim your donation every time.

I stopped buying the red nose for instance, when I discovered that about 60p of your £2 disappears. I get that the physical components have a cash value, but 60p? Pish! tuppence would be more like it. I understand also that there would be some costs of manufacturer - but in truth, 10p would be more like it.

Far too many people benefit from you trying to be generous.

Don't let them get away with it. There is always a different way, and its always worth finding it - not because I said so, not because big business deserves it taking off them (although they do!) but merely because - if 13.5p is ripped off - say a hundred thousand people, that makes a hundred and thirty five thousand pounds that's going to the wrong place.

Imagine the lives that could be changed (or saved) with that!

Rant over.